This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Whilst Aston Villa’s re-arrival in the Premier League after a three-year absence understandably delighted the club, the Villans have commenced the current campaign in a state of inconsistency.
Hard-fought wins against the likes of Everton, Norwich City and Brighton & Hove Albion have added some much-needed points to Villa’s bid to retain their top-flight status, but it is against opposition from the upper echelons of the league table where Dean Smith’s side are battling valiantly yet falling marginally short of results; despite increasingly impressive performances.
An opening day lead away at Tottenham Hotspur after John McGinn scored his side’s first goal of the 2019/20 campaign was squandered, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side fighting back in the final 20 minutes to score three goals.
Yet this has not been a singular occurrence in Smith’s debut season in the territory of Premier League management.
On the opening weekend, Villa yet again travelled to the capital and suffered an equally frustrating fate. Twice the West Midlands’ side led against the Gunners, yet once again their lead was thrown away in the dying embers of the game.
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Villa’s performances arguably merited results in both of these fixtures, displaying resolute characteristics. However, their lack of game management meant the club had nothing to show for two impressive away days against top-six opposition.
And with yet another lead lost against one of the Premier League’s elite sides – this time the champions of Europe, Liverpool, on Saturday – Smith must start to address this serious lack of concentration, resilience and discipline in the latter stages of games against high-quality opponents: but importantly, this lies with the manager’s tactical philosophy.
Smith’s desire to build a team based on attacking principles has given Villa a strong foothold to develop a squad capable of extending their stay in the top-flight – his side have scored 16 goals so far this season, more than any other team in the bottom nine.
Yet the price Villa have paid for their attacking endeavours is clear for all to see – Smith’s side have kept just two clean sheets in the division so far this season, with only three teams – Southampton, Norwich and Watford – having conceded more goals.
But when battling the top-six – both home and away – a greater sense of game management and a reduction in the aforementioned attacking principles must be evidenced for the club to progress.
Whilst owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens have plans to finance a behemoth of a football club – rebuilding its stature to its previous historic heights – this will all be in vain if the manager is simply unable to instil a greater sense of determination and defensive discipline in his squad to grind out results when they have battled fiercely to earn the lead.
This degree of criticism against a newly-promoted side may seem, to some, unwarranted.
A team who have come up through the play-offs fighting against superior opposition in their debut campaign may seem worthy of praise by itself. Yet with Villa’s sheer level of spending in the summer window – shelling out £130m on 13 new players – expectations must be higher in the realms of B6.
Villa have the foundations to re-establish themselves as a regular top-flight side, and there can be no doubting that Smith is the man to lead this charge.
But sooner rather than later this Villa squad, led by their manager, must enhance their defensive priorities, ensuring that the remarkable journey the West Midlands side are currently on does not falter and is able to reach its potentially lofty heights in the English top-flight.